Free Sucker Punch by Pauline Baird Jones Page A

spark. Not painful. A little warm. It paused there against the tip of her finger, then slowly sank out of sight.
    â€œIt tickles,” she said and turned her other fingers toward the swarm. She didn’t know if it had waited for that, or if it found a welcome from inside, but the the tiny lights flowed over her hand, covering it with light. It felt a bit charged, and her hair rose like in a thunderstorm, but it was still okay. They sank into her skin in chunks now, moving faster. Light ran in lines under her skin, apparently moving up her hand and wrist, then out of sight because of her uniform sleeve. She didn’t feel different, even when the last straggler vanished into her skin. Did it seem like light flashed under the fabric of her uniform? Or was that her imagination? She waited for…well, she didn’t know. Didn’t feel different. Didn’t feel less tired and the headache—
    Began to ease. She couldn’t see it, but she felt the tiredness around her eyes smoothing away, too. She’d say it felt like she woke up rested, but she never woke up well. She did know she felt better.
    â€œSo far this is pretty good,” she said. “How does it help me get energy?”
    â€œIt maximizes the nutrition in your cells. It can only work with what is there, but it can heal you as well.”
    â€œSo if I never ate again…?”
    â€œYou would both die, but it would take longer.”
    â€œOkay, that is kind of a downside.”
    â€œOnly if you never eat again,” Joe pointed out.
    â€œTrue.” It had kept Joe going through the storm just long enough. If she’d been alone…
    Greetings, Violet. Is it acceptable that I call you Violet?
    â€œOf course it is.” Oh, she said that out loud. Sorry.
    You can speak to me in the way most comfortable to you.
    Okay. Vi tried to think of what to add and couldn’t. Plus, if Lurch was right, Wynken had access to pretty much all her thoughts already. Are you all right?
    I am very well, thank you. And thank you for offering me hosting. You are most brave.
    I kind of thought I was a wimp. You know, better together and all that.
    The nanite’s chuckle felt like a tickle in her chest.
    Are you… up for this? I mean…
    I am much better than Lurch believes I am. It is the… the closest analogy would be, it is the father. It is the first. So it worries.
    I’m a little boggled by that, Vi admitted.
    There was a pause, then another chuckle. Your mind is most interesting. I expect that we will both be… boggled in the coming days.
    How long? Sorry, didn’t mean to sound impatient—I think a lot. Probably too much.
    Not to worry. I will only stay as long as you wish. It feels pleasing to spread out a bit.
    Was it crowded in Joe? That was also a boggling thought.
    My sorrow made it seem so. I am better here. I needed something to do besides grieve.
    Vi flexed her fingers, feeling new energy and purpose. Well, let’s go kick some evil… something or other… tush. Or circuits.
    â€œYou are well, Vi?” Joe’s anxious voice broke in.
    She looked at him and grinned. “Yeah. We are both well. Let’s go take down this bad whatever it is.”
    She wasn’t sure, but she kind of thought Lurch sighed. If he was the father, then he probably had.
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    I t wasn’t a surprise that Bubba’s mansion had been mapped in almost on the heels of the storm. His wasn’t the first residence to be mapped. That was the mayor. There were lights showing. Also not a surprise. That it was surrounded by police skimmers and the CSI transport, that was a bit of a surprise. She exchanged a long look with Joe, once he’d found a place where they could edge their skimmer into the mix. They clambered out. The crime scene had been taped to the outer edge of his property line, but it was green, so they were able to pass through the grid. Only unofficial types, like news vid reporters